Golf-ball.



(No Model.)

IE. KEMPSHALL;

GULF BALL.

(Application filed Jan. 15, 1902.3

Pa tentewApr. 8, 1902.

E y/Alum" Witnesses:

Inventar: ,EZeaza/Km vs/zrd z Munms PETER co, Pumo-umou wnsumamm n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE JERSEY.

GOLF-BALL- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 697,422, dated. April 8, 1902.

Application filed January 15, 1902 Serial No. 89.800. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known'that I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Boston, in .the county of Suifolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Balls, of which the following is .a specification.

This invention relates to balls such as used in golf and certain other games.

My present improvements relate chiefly to an improvement in the cover of the ball,

' whereby the same is rendered more efficient and durable. v

In the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view, partly broken away, of a ball made in accordance With my present improvements.

Fig. 2 is a view of a jacketed inner ball incased with incompletely-cured celluloid. Fig.

3 illustrates a method'of compressing a shell upon a ball, andjFigft is-a View of an elastic core. j 1' ,7

Similar parts aredesignated byr similar characters of reference in the several drawings. I I

The shell (designated at A,Fig.'l) may consist of celluloid, while the nucleus 13 may consist of any suitable material, such as rubber of suitable consistency or gutta-percha; but

preferably I form thenucleus in this instance by winding' rubber threads into the form of a ball, as at C, Fig. 4. I inclose this nucleus ball in'an envelop consisting of one ormore layers of elastic belting D,which may be woven of a suitable width-say three-quarters of an inch-or may be produced by cutting elastic webbing or fabric into strips.

This elastic beltingI put under tension while winding it around the nucleus, so that it and uniform jacket or blanketaround the latter. In its original shape the inner ball is substantially round, although it may-depart from the sphericalform within the scope of the inventionybut'l prefer that its bulk shall be a little'too large for the final capacity of the shell. 1

Upon the belted core I place a cover of partially-cured celluloid, preferably'in the form of hemispherical blanks E and F,which may be stuck upon the core by means of a solution of celluloid. The preliminary ball thus formed and seen at Fig. 2 I inclose in hemispherical" foruniting the portions thereof and also for facilitating the compressing and shaping action' of the dies. The'dies may be allowed to cool before'the balls are taken out, so as to give the shells an opportunity to reh'arden, whereby they are enabled to retaifi'their shape when removed. .Thefabutting edges of'the outer segments at A maybe made somewhat full, thereby tojfurnish material for properly forming the joint between'them as they are subjected .to the final compression. The fibrous portion of the jacket serves to prevent the heat of the dies from escaping into the nucleus, whereby injury of the latter is prevented and whereby also the shells may be united without the employment of an undue amount of heat.

Itwillbe understood that the layers of the shell are compressed between the dies and the resisting mass of the ball contained therein, and since said inner ball is first prepared somewhat oversize the resistance thereof while under such compression furnishes a substantial support for sustaining the relatively thin shell against any desired pressure. The application of celluloid solution to the jacket of elastic belting permeates the fibers of the latter, sothat it becomes at the finish ing operation firmly incorporated with the shell. s

1 By the expedient of lining the outer shell- .layer with incompletely-cured celluloid I am rco enabled to employ for said outer layer celluloid which is highly seasoned, and hence tough, durable, and well tempered, these qualities being enhanced because of the thinness of said layer, while the solvent present in the semicured lining is sufficient at the heating and compressing operation to permeate the outer shell and render the same plastic, the layers of celluloid adhering or welding together and becoming closely compacted under the pressure. In the finished shell the qualities of the thin and well-cured layer A are present, while the shell is also of sufficient thickness to enable it to fulfil the requirements of the ball. The layer E F not only aids in the molding of the outer layer, but also by reason of its greater plasticity serves to compensate for local irregularities in the form of both the outer shell and the inner ball, thinning out at points where the inner ball is close to the outer shell and also filling up any cavities that may be present, thus thoroughly uniting the outer shell-layer to the core and improving the qualities of the ball.

By reason of its elasticity the inner ball cooperates with the spring-shell, so as to restore the latter instantly to its normal shape after distortion by a blow. The efficiency of the filling for this purpose is greatly enhanced by having it constantly under compression, since the expansive pressure thereof in all directions tends constantly to maintain a spherical shape of the shell.

From the foregoing itwill be seen that the finished ball comprises a relatively soft elastie nucleus, a relatively hard, springy, laminated shell, and an intermediate layer of tensioned elastic belting or fabric. This layer,- it will be seen, forms a fibrous reinforcement for the shell itself and is of great value, since the force of a blow is diffused, and hence the ball is generally altered from its true spherical shape, whereby the elasticity of the inner ball acts over a large area with greatly-increased effectiveness. The usual tendency of a shell, especially when the latter is made of thin celluloid, is to dent in sharply, thus afiecting only the part of the nucleus which is right behind the area of impact and affecting only a small portion of the nucleus, so that only this small portion of the nucleus is effective in returning the shell to its original shape, whereas by placing a jacket of elastic fabric under tension overthe nucleus sharp indentation of the shellis prevented, since if the jacket is pushed inwardly anywhere a large area. thereof is owing to its longitudinal tension necessarily affected and dragged inwardly to a slight extent, so that instead of a deep indentation being produced in the nucleus over a small area the latter is slightly flattened over a large area, and thereby the entire shape of the nucleus as well as the shell is a little distorted, and in consequence the whole energy of the imprisoned mass added to the natural resiliency of the elastic belting is called upon,

and the ball is restored instantly toits normal position. Moreover, said elastic belting to a material extent relieves the shell from the stress due to the outward or expanding pressure of the compressed elastic nucleus, so that the shell is less liable to deteriorate or crack and its life is greatly prolonged. In this connection it will be perceived that the compression of the inner ball at the finishing operation does not materially reduce the longitudinal tension of the elastic belting at any part, so that the same is effective to restrain the nucleus after the ball is finished. Thus it will be seen that the elastic fabric forms an excellent backing or base for the shell and that the extra plastic lining-blanks E and F serve to compensate for the irregularities of the belted core, so that at all points the shell is effectually joined to the core or to the belting thereon.

In using the term celluloid I refer to eelluloid or pyroxylin compounds generallyand do not limit myself to any particular variety or grade or mixture.

The herein-described process is made the subject-matter of my pending application, Serial No. 94,006, filed February 14, 1902.

Other kinds of cores may be employed in connection with a celluloid shell having an extra plastic lining.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A playing-ball comprising an elastic core and a celluloid shell, the exterior portion of the shell being Well cured and the interior portion thereof being incompletely cured and compactly uniting the core directly to said exterior, and the shell being compacted upon the core and holding the same under compression.

2. A playing-ball comprisingan elastic core and a shell built up of celluloid layers, the outer layer being thin and highly cured and compacted or welded upon the inner layer, and the latter being incompletely cured and adhering to all portions of the surface of the core.

3. Aplaying-ball comprisingan elasticcore, and a shell compressed thereon; said shell comprising a highly seasoned or cured outer layer of celluloid and a lining of incompletely cured celluloid adjacent to the core.

4. A playing-ball comprising an elastic core I enveloped or incased in fabric and celluloid, a portion of the celluloid upon the exterior of the ball being highly cured, and an interior portion thereof being incompletely cured; and said fabric being embedded in the celluloid adjacent to the core.

5. A playing-ball comprising an elastic core enveloped or incased in elastic belting and celluloid, a portion of the celluloid upon the exterior of the ball being highly cured, and an interior portion thereof bein gincompletely cured; and said elastic belting being embedded in the celluloid.

6. A playing-ball comprising a core of elastie thread Wound under tension; elastic belting enveloping said core; semiseasoned celluloid segments incasing and incorporated with said envelop; and segments of highlyseasoned celluloid incasing said semiseasoned celluloid; said segments being welded together at their edges and also welded face- Wise to said semiseasoned celluloid; and said elastic core being held under compression by said celluloid shell.

ELEAZER KEHPSHALL. Witnesses:

B. O. STIOKNEY, JOHN 0. SEIFERT. 

